Summer is a season of limited-engagement foods. One of its most precious treats is the softshell crab, a blue crab that has abandoned its hard shell for a temporary, thin skin that's completely edible and full of flavor. Thankfully, it only takes a little work to savor these fleeting crustaceans: many cooks opt to simply batter, season, and fry their softshell crabs, a preparation that's equally delectable in a sandwich, on a salad, or by itself.

There's nothing like a smoky, grilled piece of meat or fish to remind us why we love summer. (A six-pack of ice-cold beer doesn't hurt either.) Here are some of the grilled dishes on our current must-cook list:

Today the James Beard Foundation unveils its 2013 crop of Leadership Award recipients. These individuals, whose work strives to create a more healthful, sustainable, and safe food world, will be honored on October 21 at the Hearst Tower in New York City. Read up on the recipients below, then read the full press release here.

--

Hal Hamilton

Founder and Co-Director, Sustainable Food Lab:

For supporting food companies, nonprofits, and farmers to demonstrate and scale sustainability in the global food supply.

Cynthia Hayes

Executive Director, Southeastern

On this week's episode of Taste Matters, host Mitchell Davis welcomed Joshua Skenes, executive chef and co-owner of San Francisco's Michelin-starred Saison. Skenes talked about his quest for finding inspiration in flavors and textures, his holistic approach to cooking, and how to tap into the origin of each ingredient in a dish. Known for his innovative culinary technique, Skenes has garnered widespread acclaim on a national level, and was named one of Food & Wine's Best New Chefs of 2011. Want to know more about Saison and the food scene in San Francisco? Listen below!

Named after the Sanskrit word for “flavors,” Rasika always overdelivers on taste, thanks largely to multiple Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic award nominee Vikram Sunderam, whose talents have led Washington Post critic Tom Sietsema to declare that “the best Indian restaurant in the country is in our backyard.”

Manuel Berganza earned two Michelin stars as the chef of Restaurant Sergi Arola Gastro in Madrid and got a taste of the American culinary scene at Grant Achatz’s award-winning Alinea in Chicago before heading to New York City to open Andanada, where New Yorkers are... Read more >